Singles Awareness Day
by FrostedDarkfox
Summary: OneShot. Don't kill me, it's a day late! KelDom in response to the challenge on WLD! Happy Valentine's y'all!


Dom was upset, seriously baffled beyond belief. He had a deadline and no matter how many times he sat himself down and tried to work his thoughts danced off to a certain someone. It wasn't as though getting his work done was usually a problem; it was this deadline that particularly oppressed him. What mattered to him was getting this work in at all. It had taken nearly a month to come up with a draft that was acceptable to him, but now that he had finished, he was beginning to lose his nerve. He held the finished copy before his eyes, shaking his head. If she didn't return even a bit of the feelings he had built up for her and written in this letter, Dom didn't know what he would do with himself. He decided to sleep on it, and resolved to give the finished copy to her tomorrow.

It wasn't his fault really that he had fallen victim to her. Not exactly a conventional beauty, she had more than enough personality and wit to make up for it, and more. She had an air of confidence around her that caught the eyes of most men, especially him. And unlike them, he wasn't afraid of her weapons skills. She was perfect in his eyes after all, her fluid movements when she fought, her quiet humor, and how her eyes showed everything even when her face masked emotions. He just couldn't get enough of her.

His night passed quickly as the dreams of her wrapped around him and swamped him until he was breathing heavily. Each dream brought a paradise of what could be, what _would_ be, if Dom could just convince himself to open his mouth.

He woke early, hoping to catch her before she began her ritual practices. Dom quickly sealed the parchment and pressed the King's Own insignia into the hot wax. He had just opened the door when his skull was suddenly attacked by the flurried, frenzied knocking of none other than Nealan of Queenscove.

"Oww, Meathead, what gives you the right to attack me so early?" said Dom, while tenderly massaging his head.

"You opened the door, it's your fault. Besides you were up and it's Valentine's Day."

"And?" Dom didn't mean to sound thick, but his head hurt a little too much for him to care just then.

Neal fixed an eye on him, clearly exasperated, "You should tell her."

Dom glared, "Tell who?"

"_Kel_, you moron, the girl you've liked for years now, that you continually try to mask emotions for, who undoubtedly would reciprocate said emotions."

Dom looked confounded, "I never told you," he coughed, blushing faintly, "I mean, uh, you think she likes me?" Dom hoped with all his heart that Kel liked him.

"I'm pretty sure. Yuki thinks so too, and so does Lalasa for that matter. She does the same thing you do, she pulls on her Yamani mask and is always blushing." Neal rambled on about the ways they both hid their feelings and how they could have been perfect for each other this whole time if only one of them would quit being shy.

Dom was just smiling, "Thanks, Meathead. But if you'll excuse me I have errands to do."

"Oh, like what? Finally admitting your undying love for the Lady Knight?"

Dom blushed, he waved the letter in Neal's face, "Not yet, Own's business for Lord Raoul." 

Neal grabbed it from him, examining it with a weary eye, "Are you sure this isn't for Kel?" he asked slyly.

"Yes, Meathead. It's not a love letter for Raoul after all." Dom shook his head, trying to be convincing, he didn't know what he would do if Neal found out the true contents of that letter.

"Fine, fine. You should write her one, you know."

'How ironic, holding the love letter, telling me I should write one.' Dom thought but said aloud, "Why in the Goddess' name would I do that?" 

Neal shrugged, "Because girls like that sort of thing."

"Is Kel classified as 'girls?' She's not the average girl, or person for that matter, but I'll think about it. But give me back my report, I want to drop it off and grab something to eat."

Neal handed it over saying, "I'll go with you. That way we can spend a comfortable morning discussing your love for Dear Keladry.

Dom groaned, "I think I'll beg off, it sounds lovely and all, but I'm in the mood for dining alone."

"Nothing doing, I'm sticking to you until Yuki drags me off or you tell Kel." He crossed his arms over his chest, making his face seem as stubborn as possible.

Dom felt his stomach drop, he couldn't give Kel's letter to Raoul! What would he think if he opened and read it?

He must have gone white for Neal to notice as they walked. "Are you alright?" Neal grabbed his arm, "You're really pale, Dom." He looked his cousin over with nervous eyes.

"I think I'm fine, but can we eat something now?" Dom's mind was whirring tremendously. If he stalled Neal at breakfast he could make a break for it and give the letter to Kel, "I feel kind of sick." He put a hand to his stomach which grumbled as if on cue.

"Sure, Raoul can wait for half an hour or so, right?" Dom nodded and the cousins set their new course for the mess hall.

* * *

Dom was about to run for it when his salvation entered the room. Yuki noticed Neal trying to hide behind a pitcher of fruit juice and stormed over. "Nealan of Queenscove! I have been looking for you all morning! It is Valentine's Day and you've been ignoring me!" Yuki had lost all her Yamani calm and was turning red as she realized the whole room was silent. Everyone waited for what Neal would say.

Neal tried to melt, "Dom was sick, um, he needed a healer right away!" Yuki kept glaring, seeing right through his pathetic attempt at lying, "What? I promise I wasn't trying to ignore you! I swear I didn't forget!"

She just sighed, Neal forgot most important dates or appointments, some accidental, others on purpose, "Come on, Neal." And she grabbed his arm before he could protest.

Dom was laughing at the spectacle they were making, Neal gave him a look, raising a brow, 'Gods,' Dom thought, 'He knows it's not a report.'

Before he could even reach for the sealed parchment Neal had it in his hand, "Since you're sick, Dom, I'll not have you risking your health to give a mere report to Lord Raoul. I'll do it for you." He grinned his victory to the unenlightened room before letting Yuki drag him to the door.

Just as they reached the threshold it swung to reveal no person less than Sir Keladry of Mindelan. She looked from the short Yamani to the lanky Tortallan. She shook her head and laughed at her best friend, "Neal, did you forget Valentine's Day?"

He stuck his tongue out at her, "Did not."

She rolled her eyes, "Prove it."

"Fine." Neal turned Yuki, wrapping an arm around her waist and gave her a long kiss until the people in the hall began to cheer and whistle.

"Cheater." Kel muttered before grabbing a tray. She scanned the crowd and smiled as she saw Dom. She came and slid her tray into the spot across from him. "Hey, Dom."

He lifted him eyes to look at her, it was hard to face her without blushing now-even if she didn't end up with that letter, everything he had written was on his mind. "Hi, Kel."

"Are you alright, Dom?" Kel pointed her fork at him, "You're blushing."

"Nothing, nothing. Just something Meathead said." He kept his eyes down, it was safer.

"Really? About me?"

"No, not about you." Dom searched his brain, looking for a quick way to change the subject. "So how has you Valentine's Day been so far?" He looked up, letting himself meet her eyes and grinned, "I think my favorite part of the day so far was Yuki yelling at my cousin. She has a certain flare for making him whimper."

"I don't usually enjoy Valentine's." She twiddled with her fork, "I think I'll call it Singles Awareness Day." 

Dom laughed at this, "Do you realize that the initials of that spell '**SAD**'? And why don't you like Valentine's Day?"

"It's only a holiday for couples and such, leaving those that are unattached alone and depressed. Besides, I have slim chances of enjoying a day for lovers, who would ever fall for someone like me? I'm the second Lady Knight, most men seem to think I'd cut them to ribbons rather then let them near me."

'You'd be surprised.' Dom thought to himself, "But Kel, you're beautiful, smart, talented, strong, loving, caring, resourceful-"

Kel cut him off, she was laughing so hard that she had a hand over her mouth, trying to retain her Yamani control.

"What? How is that funny, it's all true!"

She was shaking with laughter, "You sound like Meathead on one of his poetic crazes."

Dom was shocked, "Gods all help me, I'm ending up like Meathead!" He grabbed her hand, "Kel, you have to help me!" he pretended to be in insufferable pain. She only continued to giggle at him. 

It took Kel a few minutes to regain her composure, her stomach was fluttering at how silly Dom was, and she realized that his hand still rested on hers. She decided to make this more interesting, "So, Dom, do _you_ have a special someone to romance today? Your newly acquired Meathead skills should help you."

He squeezed her hand, grinning "Only you, fairest Lady Knight, would suit my heart on such a day. How I long to kiss you, hold you in my loving embrace, stare into your eyes deeply and search your soul for any bit of passion to match my own!"

Kel laughed again, "Your relation to Sir Meathead to only too apparent, Dom. I would highly suggest visiting your Uncle to cure you of this particular ailment." She pulled her hand from his and finished her meal. 

Dom kept watching her. He ate slowly, thinking over how he should phrase what he wanted to say so desperately to her.

Once she had finished she looked up again, "I think I'm going to take a nap, perfect relaxation and a way to waste a day." She smiled, "I'll see you later though, right?"

"Definitely," he smiled back. His eyes followed her as she dumped her tray and walked out of the hall.

As Kel walked to her rooms her mind kept replaying what Dom had said. She had thought they were joking, but his eyes... his eyes seemed to be telling the truth. She shuddered, if what he said was true 'It would be like a dream.' Kel thought. She unlocked her door and relaxed on her bed, letting thoughts of Dom and his words float freely and amaze her as she slipped out of her boots and drifted off into lucid dreams.

* * *

Kel shifted and woke up, it was sometime late in the afternoon and she found herself pleasantly drowsy. She yawned and stretched, getting ready to do a glaive pattern dance. 

She was in the middle of a sweep when a sharp rap came at her door. "Come in!" she yelled, not stopping her movements. Raoul opened the door cautiously and entered her room; there was a letter in his hand. Kel immediately stopped her practice, she was flushed from exercise, "Hello, milord."

He smiled at her, "How many times do I have to tell you, Kel? It's Raoul; you make me feel so old with that milording." 

Kel studied him, he looked nervous, "Are you alright, Raoul? You look jittery about something."

He rubbed a hand against his arm, "Well I, uh, got a letter. Neal gave it to me, but I think it's for you." He held the parchment out to her, "I don't think it was written by Neal either."

Kel was confounded, a letter for her that went to Raoul? What was Neal thinking? Her eyes quickly skimmed the letter, she looked at the broken seal, "You're right, that's a King's Own seal." She glanced and read a few lines of some of the paragraphs, even those made her blush. There was no signature at the bottom and she looked questioningly at Raoul, "Is this some kind of joke?"

He blushed, apparently he had read the letter as well, "Maybe, but where did Neal get it?" 

There was a large noise and Raoul spun defensively towards the door as it burst open, "Kel! I need to talk to you-" Dom stopped, the tall figure in front of him was _not _Keladry.

"Yes?" Kel stepped from behind the Giantkiller and smiled at Dom, "Come in." 

Dom's jaw dropped, she had the letter! He blushed furiously, "Thanks." Dom was dazed now, his head was racing just as fast as his heart was. "How, where did you get that letter?" was all he managed to mumble without blushing again.

"Neal gave it to Raoul. Raoul read it and thought it was for me." Kel looked at him suspiciously, "How do you know about it?"

Before he could answer Raoul butted in. He knew where this conversation would lead, "I think I need to find Buri for..." Kel and Dom never found out what for, seeing as Raoul fled the room almost at a run.

Kel looked at the sergeant again, "How about the letter, Dom?" She looked at him closely, "Did you write this?" Dom didn't answer, his brain was frozen in its tracks and his blush was deepening. "Fine, if you won't tell me, I'll just read it again and try to remember where I've seen this writing before." 

Kel crossed the room and sat on her bed, holding the letter, grinning. She had figured out who the letter was from and was exuberant to find out Dom's feelings for her. That didn't mean she couldn't tease him, though. Her giddy thoughts were interrupted by the red sergeant, "What's so hilarious?"

"This is my first love letter," she told him, if it was even possible, his blush deepened more, but he smiled at her. "I think I'll enjoy it for a while. Do you mind if I read you parts out loud? You're such a good writer after all."

He blinked, "How did you know?"

Kel just smiled, "The way you've been acting." She waved the letter, "Do you really mean this stuff?"

Dom stopped blushing, "Of course." He stood up, walked over to her and pulled her up next to him, "You of all people should know that, Kel." 

"Well, I do now, Dom." She smiled at him, they were both a little dizzy, lost in each others eyes. Neither would remember who moved first, but Dom's lips found Kel's and the two found that they wanted to stay that way; wrapped in each others arms, safe and complete, hands in each other's hair. 

When they finally pulled away, all Dom could say was: "Happy Singles Awareness Day, Kel." He smiled at her, grinning from ear to ear. 

She smiled back and said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Dom." as she leaned in for another kiss.


End file.
